Kaye Gardiner had what looked like the perfect life, with a pristine house, flashy cars and horse shows.
But when the front door shut on that shiny house, she retreated inside to a depressed, heavy-drinking husband and an internal void.
“Everyone would drive past our immaculate house and think our lives were perfect,” Kaye told Woman Alive. “But I always felt this emptiness; I never had any peace or contentment. I felt lonely despite my husband and lovely kids.
“I never told anyone what was going on. We had an our-life-is-perfect veneer.”
It was another facet of that ‘perfect’ life – exotic holidays – that began the change in Kaye, but in an unexpected way as she enjoyed the luxuries of a Jamaican resort. Suddenly, she was struck by the contrast between the holiday setting and the poverty on the island.
“I asked a waitress about life on the island. She told me that Jesus was the most important thing in her life. She said she worked six days a week but needed Sundays off to worship God. Jesus was literally shining out of her eyes. I knew instantly the peace she had was what I needed.”
On her return to her Scottish home, Kaye went to church.
“When the minister preached, it was the first time I heard the full gospel, which went straight to my heart.”
Kaye had a hunger for God’s word, so joined a discipleship group, and quickly grew in her new faith. Eventually, she felt God’s calling.
“I loved my job as a beauty therapist and I would have done it forever if I hadn’t been called into full-time ministry.”
Rev Kaye Gardiner now serves two churches near Glasgow: Kenmure Parish Church in Bishopbriggs and Wallacewell Church.
“My passion for making people look good on the outside has now become a passion to see inward transformation. There’s no point doing anything if the love of Jesus isn’t shining out of our eyes like that lady in Jamaica.”
